While we’re still soaking up the holiday cheer, Valentine’s Day is fast approaching! Each February, people celebrate love in all its forms—whether with their partners, children, friends, or through self-love. For handmade sellers, it’s the perfect opportunity to tap into this heartfelt season. By reflecting on last year’s top trends, you can craft irresistible products and marketing campaigns to make this Valentine’s Day your most successful yet.
When Do Buyers Shop for Valentine’s Day?
eRank’s Keyword Tool reveals that searches for “valentines day” peaked in January last year on Etsy with over 141,000 searches in the USA. Notably, the upward trend begins as early as November, giving sellers ample time to prepare.
List your Valentine’s day items no later than late December or early January. This provides your buyers ample times to find your listings, as well as time for purchases to arrive in time for the holiday.
Worried that buyers aren’t going to shop after the holiday season? Fear not! eRank’s 2024 Etsy Buyer Survey showed that about 77% of shoppers are somewhat likely or very likely to shop on Etsy for Valentine’s Day. Read more results from the survey in our blog article 2024 Etsy Buyer Survey: What Sellers Need to Know.
What Was Popular Last Valentine’s Day?
Traditional items such as jewelry, flowers, and chocolate are common gifts for Valentine’s Day. If we look at eRank’s Monthly Trends report for January 2024, we can see insights into what buyers searched for last year. In January of last year, the industries of jewelry, home décor, and general gifts dominated the top ten searches.
For more ideas on products for Valentine’s Day, check out Etsy’s blog article with inspiration for every niche Etsy Journal – Valentine’s Day.
If you have items that fall into these categories, consider ways to market them for Valentine’s Day. Photograph them with red or pink backgrounds, offer themed gift wrap, or include a graphic displaying how your items are shipped. Think about adding fun touches to your listing thumbnails to make them stand out on a search result page. For more tips on creating eye-catching images, read Boost Your Clicks with Standout Thumbnails on the eRank blog page.
How Can I Find Keywords to Use?
Research keywords before listing your items on Etsy, ensuring that your listings match for relevant searches. With eRank’s Keyword Tool, you can search for any keyword and take a deep dive into a data analysis for not only that keyword but other similar keywords as well. With recent eRank updates, sellers are now able to filter keywords by metrics such as average searches and competition. This saves you time when working on your SEO and can help you find more tailored results, giving you a possible edge over other sellers in your niche.
Once you find keywords that fit your listing, be sure to include them in your title as well as your tags. Use the Holiday attribute only if your items are specific to Valentine’s Day—a greeting card that says “Happy Valentine’s Day”—and not if they can only be gifted for the occasion such as a silver diamond bracelet.
Read the eRank blog article Using Holiday Attributes Effectively more detailed information on using attributes.
For more information about how to properly use keywords in your listings, read the eRank blog article Etsy SEO Basics, as well as Etsy’s Keywords 101: Everything You Need to Know article.
How Can This Valentine’s Day Be My Best Yet?
Valentine’s Day presents handmade sellers with a fantastic opportunity to tap into one of the most celebrated holidays of the year. By planning early, researching trends, and optimizing your listings with effective keywords, you can ensure your shop is ready to attract love-struck shoppers.
Whether you create traditional Valentine’s Day gifts like jewelry and home decor or unique items that stand out, this season offers endless possibilities to showcase your creativity and connect with customers. Remember, Valentine’s Day isn’t just about couples—it’s about celebrating love in all its forms, so don’t hesitate to tailor your offerings to a wide audience—even pets!
Get ahead of the curve and start preparing today. With the right strategy, your Etsy shop can capture the hearts of buyers and turn Valentine’s Day into a season of growth and success!
